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Keywords

Confederados, Brazil, Immigration, Civil War

Abstract

Reconstruction following the American Civil War led to conditions in the South that caused upwards of 20,000 Americans to go into exile. Of these, approximately 2,500 to 3,500 made the trip to Brazil and established settlements of varying success. One hundred forty one years later descendents of the original settlers, known as the Confederados, still populate the areas of Americana and Santa Barbara D’Oeste, Brazil. Extensive studies have been conducted on the history of the migration and the resulting settlements, yet conflicting perspectives of the Confederados exist within American society. These include different understandings of the Confederate Battle Flag, the purpose of their annual Festa Confederada and the racial dynamics within the Confederado community. This research seeks to uncover the underlying causes of these varying perspectives and to suggest ways in which a more accurate understanding of the Confederado community may be gained.